基督徒應順服掌權者嗎？

牧師吳宗文引用羅馬書經文，呼籲信徒要順服執政掌權者。對聖經稍有認識的人都知道，聖經內其實沒有多少個順民，包括寫羅馬書的保羅，最後被羅馬人處死。為耶穌領洗的施洗約翰也因為批評國王的婚事而被殺頭。耶穌自己雖然說過「凱撒歸凱撒」叫人交稅，但自己卻公然挑戰羅馬政權，在最緊張的逾越節前以君臨天下之勢騎著驢子進風頭火勢的耶城，又在聖殿外鬧事，最後被當權者處死。而舊約呢？很多先知都是和當權者對著幹，以利亞因為批評皇帝拜偶像，受到皇后Jezebel排擠要置他死地，被迫遠走。耶利米不斷預言因為以色列的邪惡，耶路撒冷將滅亡。這些顛覆國家的說話當然令當權者不悅，國王和大祭司合力把他監禁。

從這些聖經的先知、聖人的故事看到，在世間要奉行上帝的公義，很多時都要勇於反抗當權者，在過程中非但不能享受既得利益者的安逸，反而要付上終極的代價。

越南新娘

最近在南方周末看到一個有關越南新娘被販賣到中國農村的專題報導，無論人物、情節都出人意表，再一次證明中國比小說更離奇。一般在媒體、電影上看到的被賣新娘都是受害者，但現實中的受害人卻是英俊但性格內向的毛仔。跟很多農村男性一樣，毛仔所住的村都是男多女少，很多男人都娶不到老婆。經人介紹下，毛仔決定拿畢生績蓄二萬多元買了個越南老婆。這女人自稱二十多歲但看來三十有多，塗著鮮艷指甲油，整天什麼都不做，卻口甜舌滑哄毛仔和他家人為她買東西。

毛仔不但沒有失望，還對她寵愛有加。儘管鄰居都說他老婆不是好人，毛仔都不理會，因為他一生也沒有那麼快樂過。有一次毛仔帶老婆和另外幾個也是娶了越南老婆的男人到的士高，幾個農家的男人坐在一旁喝悶酒，幾個越南女孩卻在舞池熟悉地踏著舞步，毛仔看著他們，第一次意識到這老婆留不住。這一個場景根若是一部電影的話是一場很精彩的戲，完全不用對白就可交代很多東西。故事發展到最後當然是幾個越南老婆不約而同在同一天跑掉，可憐的毛仔還痴痴地希望她能回來：“畢竟做了20天夫妻啊！”

若把這故事變成一部電影的話，人物心理大概要複雜點。要是老婆不是那麼赤祼裸的唯利是圖呢？若毛仔最後沒有放棄找尋老婆而是竭盡所能，最後又給他找到呢？這是一個充滿可能性的故事。

汕頭

周末去了一躺汕頭，頗有點驚喜。市內有一個區有很多上世紀初的舊建築，融合東西方建築特色，有點以前香港某些舊街道的影子。我喜歡這些建築物的破舊，沒有像上海某些舊區般經復修和中產化。其中很多樓宇已不適合居住，有些二三樓已殘破不堪甚至倒塌了，只有地下還有商鋪，賣的都是些低下價的日用品。星期天沒太多人流，處處流露頹廢的風情，有點像河內，但沒有那麼擁擠。

Tears for Fears

Saw the Tears for Fears concert last week. Brought back a lot of memories. I was introduced to TFF by my high school pal, Mike Tam (Mike, where ever you are, I hope you're well!). The Hurting had just come out the year before. The album oozed teenage angst, which matched our states of mind at the time. Me and Mike would discuss the Primal Scream theory and Jungian psychology while listening to songs like Pale Shelter and Memory Fades. The album, with its catchy synth-pop beats, gave voice to all my feelings about my childhood and my parents. Then Songs from the Big Chair came out, and catapulted the band to international fame. However I found most of the songs on that album were too middle of the road, and actually liked it less than The Hurting. When Sowing the Seeds of Love came out, I was thoroughly disappointed with its wannabe Beatles sound. So when the band announced its break-up in the early 90s, I was not too upset. The last TFF song I liked was Tears Roll Down from their Greatest Hit album that came out in '92, which was a throw-back to their earlier themes of childhood trauma, and sounded like it could have been a throw-away track from Songs from the Big Chair. Even though Roland continued to put out albums under the TFF name, none of its output matched those of the band's heyday. Not surprisingly, at the concert it was the older songs that got the biggest response. I was a little disappointed that the concert was so short, and the encore song of "Shout" a bit too predictable.